The world of digital delivery of multimedia content to viewers has been rapidly progressing. Typical types of multimedia content include video clips, electronic games, and interactive content. The delivery process for such multimedia content, particularly those transmitted in a form of video, may entail use of a variety of delivery standards, video quality levels, and other parameters. The techniques used in traditional television (TV) broadcast cannot be effectively used in the more modern multi-standard digital TV arena. Currently, only piecemeal solutions are available for efficient and seamless delivery of such multimedia content to the arena of digital TV.
Specifically, content delivery is currently performed using two approaches: legacy content distribution and over-the-top (OTT) content distribution. Legacy content providers include, for example, cable, satellite, and internet protocol TV (IPTV) providers. Typically, such providers have full control over the entire delivery chain, from head-end through the network to the end user's device (e.g., a set-top box). Therefore, legacy content providers can manage and guarantee efficient content delivery mechanisms and high Quality of Experience (QoE) to the end user.
Over-the-top (OTT) content distribution is the delivery of audio, video, and other types of multimedia content over the Internet without any control of the content distribution by the network operators and/or by the content providers. The providers of OTT content are third party providers which utilize the network's infrastructure to provide content to their subscribers. As such, OTT content providers are not responsible for controlling redistribution of the content. Examples for OTT content providers are Hulu®, Netflix®, and the like.
In most cases, OTT content providers control only the edges of a content distribution network. These edges are streaming servers at the head-end and the media players installed in user devices. However, as noted above, OTT content providers have no control over the distribution network. Rather, such providers merely utilize the network's infrastructure to deliver content. As such, OTT content providers are not responsible for the overall efficiency of OTT content distribution over the network and, as such, cannot guarantee high QoE to their subscribers.
The popularity of OTT services downgrades the performance of the communication networks managed by Internet service provider (ISPs). Specifically, OTT content delivery significantly increases the bandwidth consumption in such networks. As a result, ISPs cannot ensure high Quality of Services (QoS) to their subscribers, thereby forcing ISPs to upgrade their networks to support the increased demand for bandwidth. In addition, congested networks cause higher packets loss and longer packet delays, thereby downgrading the QoE of OTT streaming services.
Unicast streaming occurs where the content being streamed is transferred directly from one point to another within a communication network. In contrast, multicast streaming occurs where the content being streamed is sent out to various points in a communication network, whereby interested users may access the streamed content. Multicast streaming may be desirable when, e.g., multiple users desire access to the same content. One multicast stream sent to multiple points will usually yield lower bandwidth usage than an equivalent number of unicast streams. Unicast streams, on the other hand, may require lower bandwidth if content is streamed to a single point than a multicast stream to that point would require.
Transitioning between unicast and multicast streams allows content providers to attempt to minimize bandwidth usage in communication networks. Transitioning between unicast streaming signals and multicast streaming signals requires utilization of communication bandwidth. Further, such switching typically negatively affects the quality of playback of OTT content, thereby decreasing a user's QoE with respect to the content. It would therefore be desirable to provide a switching solution that would be seamless, i.e., that would not substantially interfere with the user's QoE of switched content during switching.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution that would overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by allowing seamless switchover between unicast and multicast streaming sources.